The Laura Jane Musser Fund aims to bolster rural communities through collaborative and participatory civic efforts. This grant program aligns with the foundation's mission to strengthen towns and regions by focusing on key civic areas such as economic development, business preservation, arts and humanities, public space improvements, and education. The fund's strategic priority is to encourage broad community engagement and collective action, embodying a theory of change where local participation leads to positive, tangible community transformation.
The target beneficiaries of this program are citizens in rural communities within selected states and counties, specifically Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Wyoming, and limited counties in New York and Texas. The impact goals are centered on fostering stronger, more resilient communities through projects that encourage diverse community members to work together. This includes ensuring projects have measurable short-term outcomes and actively involve residents in all phases, promoting a sense of ownership and collective achievement.
Priority is given to projects that demonstrably bring together a broad range of community members and institutions, provide opportunities for diverse participation, and work towards positive community change. These projects must also exhibit strong support from a cross-section of the community, demonstrate matching financial and/or in-kind support, and involve significant volunteer participation. The emphasis on these criteria reflects the foundation's belief that genuine community strengthening arises from widespread collaboration and shared investment.
Expected outcomes include the successful completion of projects within 18 months or less, resulting in tangible improvements within the community. For planning grants (up to $5,000), outcomes involve supporting essential preliminary costs like consultant time, meetings, and local travel to facilitate project development. Implementation grants (up to $25,000) are designed to bring planned, community-based rural projects to fruition, ensuring a clear and measurable impact within the initial 18-month period. The foundation seeks to see positive, measurable changes in the civic areas targeted by the grants.
